After the Constitutional Court blocked the suspension of Belinda Balluku from the post of Deputy Prime Minister, SPAK has taken the next step by requesting from the parliament authorization for her arrest for a stricter security measure, house arrest or imprisonment. The request was submitted this Tuesday to the assembly and according to the announcement distributed by the Special Prosecution Office, the aim is to arrest Balluku for manipulations with the Llogara tunnel tender but also for the tender procedures of the Tirana Ring Road.
"Balluku has been placed under investigation on suspicion of committing the same criminal offense for seven other procurement procedures with the following objects: "Completion, reconciliation and continuation of the works Shqiponja Square-Tirana River, Lot 1 and QMT"; "Construction of the road segment Shqiponja Square-New Boulevard, Lot 2"; "Construction of the road segment Shqiponja Square-New Boulevard-Shkozë, Bridges over the Tirana River"; "Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 4"; "Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 5"; "Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 6"; "Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 7". SPAK's request to the assembly states.
Not more than a few seconds after the prosecutors' announcement and immediately in X, Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted, hinting that he would not release Belinda Balluku. He called the arrests signed by SPAK prosecutors "a rude fashion" that has led to an increase in the number of pre-trial detainees, which outnumber prisoners in Albania, "a shameful fact" according to the Prime Minister "without any connection to European democratic standards."
And continuing the nervous message in response to SPAK, Rama said that the Socialist Party will not prejudge the request, but since its opinion is being asked, we will "prepare to maintain a fair, clear and dignified stance, as the leading force of the country and of the Justice Reform."
The lines lack a clear stance for or against the arrest, which the majority will hold for Belinda Balluku, but it is certain that Rama's fiery response is not in line with the prime minister's promises that justice must do its job, that prosecutors must "take the olive branch out" of the fight against corruption, and that the Socialist Party will not become a law firm for those who are in trouble with the courts.
Furthermore, a source close to the prime minister's office, immediately after Rama's reaction, told Lapsi.al that the prime minister has made it clear to them that authorization for the arrest of Belinda Balluku will not be granted, and this explains the completely different vocabulary with which Rama is now treating the SPAK investigative files.
Rama's full message in X
After being overturned by the Constitutional Court for the unconstitutional and antidemocratic suspension of a member of the government, before the ink on the Constitutional Court's decision had dried, the prosecutor in question is asking the Assembly for authorization to arrest the Deputy Prime Minister - in prison or at home.
It is universally known that arrests without trial, sometimes at home, sometimes in prison, have become a rude fashion in Albania, and that Albania has become a country with more pre-trial detainees than prisoners – a shameful fact with no connection to European democratic standards – which has seriously concerned even the Council of Europe.
But of course, in the case in question, we cannot and will not prejudge the special prosecutor's request, but since unlike other processes, where we as a rule do not speak about the content of the cases, this time we are asked to give our opinion, we will engage with all our responsibility before the Albanians who gave us 83 mandates, and we will prepare to maintain a fair, clear and worthy stance, as the leading force of the country and of Justice Reform.
Editorial
